The Sims FAQ/Walkthrough

*********
THE SIMS
for the GameCube
***************
FAQ by GavLuvsGA
Version 1: 6 March 2005
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**********
CONTENTS
**********
1 Introduction
2 Sim Personalities
3 Sim Needs
4 Get A Life Walkthrough
5 Tips on Building a House
6 Items
7 Working and Getting Promotions
8 Incresing Skill Points
9 Making Friends
10 Babies and Children
11 The Burglar
12 The Feng Shui Meter
13 Sim Deaths
14 2 Player Games
15 Cheat Codes
16 The Biggest Mystery of All: No. 4 Sim Avenue
17 Frequently Asked Questions
1 - INTRODUCTION
******************
The Sims is a great game, one of the most interesting gaming franchises in
recent times. Here, you can control whole families of people, give them jobs
and much, much more. This FAQ outlines best strategies for improving your Sims'
lives or, if you're so inclined, screwing them up completely.
2 - SIM PERSONALITIES
**********************
There are five attributes that make up your Sim's personality:
Active, Outgoing, Nice, Playful, Neat
When you first create a Sim, you can give them various amounts of each
attribute (0-10 of each), for a limited amount of time. You will see that you
are given 25 "Lights", which indicate personality points. You cannot assign any
more than this to a single Sim, although you don't need to assign all
personality points to your Sim.
This section discusses each attribute.
ACTIVE
*******
The more points you have against this, the more active your Sim is. A very
active Sim will want to keep getting up and doing things, and good ways to keep
them entertained are to get a pool table, or better still, a swimming pool.
Sims with few or no "active" points will prefer watching the TV, playing on the
computer or reading a book.
OUTGOING
**********
Shows how much a Sim likes to talk to other Sims. Very outgoing Sims will need
to talk to people a lot, or their Social meter will drop very fast. On a
sidenote, very outgoing Sims will also get into the hot tub naked, if they're
the first to get in and all others will do the same.
NICE
*****
Speaks for itself - shows whether a Sim is nice to other sims, or not. A Sim
with a high nice rating will be easy to get on with socially, while one with a
low nice rating will be generally unpleasant. Oh, and just one more thing to
mention; if you have the workbench, and are making garden gnomes, you will
likely discover another habit of mean Sims.
It happened to me; I had a workbench in one house and I moved in a pair of mean
Sims to a vacant lot. While I was at the other house, the two new neighbours
showed up to introduce themselves. No sooner had I greeted them when one of
them went up to the nearest garden gnome and started kicking it, destroying it.
For some reason (and I have no idea), this destroyed every garden gnome in my
house.
Yes, apparently, mean Sims see themselves as the Trinny and Susannahs of Feng
Shui. They will destroy garden gnomes in neighbours' houses. Infuriating, eh?
Oh, Mean Sims tend to like watching the horror channel and listening to rock
music.
PLAYFUL
*********
More playful Sims will generally act like big kids - more keen on helping the
Sim kids to build sand piles, and will enjoy watching cartoons and listening to
jokes. At the other end of the spectrum, you have serious Sims, who tend to
turn their noses up in disapproval at any joke, and prefer to read books or
newspapers, or play chess.
NEAT
*****
This shows your Sim's willingness (or unwillingness) to clean up after
themselves (and their fellow Sims). If your Sim is very neat, they will
immediately go to wash up dishes after using them, and this can get annoying if
you want them to go to work or stop wasting time and socialise. For the sake of
your own sanity, don't put more than one obsessively neat Sim in your
household, or you may end up suffering a brain hemmorage as every Sim in the
house queues up to wash the dishes.
3 - SIM NEEDS
*************
The Sims have eight needs, which must be satisfied (kept green) in order to
keep them happy. They are:
BLADDER
*********
When this is in the red, you need to find a toilet ASAP, otherwise your Sim
will wet themselves, putting their bladder in the green, but putting their
hygeine in the red.
HYGEINE
*********
The best way to bring up hygeine is to take a shower, though if your Sim has
time, take a bath, as this helps with comfort. Washing hands and brushing teeth
also help improve hygeine.
ENERGY
********
When your Sim's energy is low, you need to send them off to bed. It's a good
idea to let them sleep until their energy is green - unless there is complete
emergency - otherwise they will start having a tantrum. If their energy bar is
slightly in the red, they will spend about half an hour rubbing their eyes. You
can also raise energy with coffee and expresso.
COMFORT
**********
When your Sim is uncomfortable, get them to sit on a sofa, or take a bath. The
Sonic shower is also useful for increasing comfort.
FUN
****
Your Sims need to do something to take the boredom out of the daily routine.
Playing games such as snooker or basketball or other active pursuits is one
way; watching TV or using a computer are other ways. Some Sims increase fun by
playing chess or painting, although they must be in a good mood in the first
place.
SOCIAL
*******
This can often be hard to raise, especially with a very outgoing Sim. Talk to
as many other Sims as you can to raise this. Throwing a party is a good idea.
You can also try phoning your friends just to talk, though this can sometimes
randomly backfire and your Sims will have a short, but blazing, row before
slamming the phone down, which will not help your Sim's need one bit.
HUNGER
********
Cook something or order a pizza, or have a drink in order to avoid your Sims
getting hungry. Increasing Cooking Skill points makes your Sims meals more
satisfying and helps feed this need more.
ROOM
******
This can often be very hard to fill. Make sure you get rid of all trash and
dirty dishes, as they can decrease room. Buy decorative items to improve it. Be
especially careful to improve the room outside - often a Sim's room will drop
drastically upon leaving the house.
4 - GET A LIFE WALKTHROUGH
*****************************
Level 0
******
Nothing much to do here. Talk to the woman at the party, and eventually Mom
will wake you up.
Level 1 - Money From Mom
***********************
Be warned now; Mom is the second most intolerable person you will ever have to
live with (the only worse housemate will be whoever you get out of Mimi and
Dudley). She will nag, nag, and then nag some more. She won't do any cooking,
and she'll yell at you if you forget to clean the toilet.
Also, make sure you set the controls to her with Z while your Sim is sleeping,
otherwise she'll walk over to the stereo (which is in the same room as your
bed, small house that it is) and switch it on, waking you up. Rather
hypocritically, Mom will demand you switch off the stereo when she wants some
sleep.
The first thing that is clear is that the TV is busted. You can't fix it
because you don't have enough mechanical skills points. If you try, you'll get
electrocuted (to which Mom shows absolutely no sympathy).
GOALS
Fix the TV
Get your Sim in a good mood, then use the bookcase to Study Mechanical, until
you have at least two Mechanical Skill points, then fix the TV and Mom will
quit b****ing about it.
UNLOCK: The Vanity Table
Cook a Meal
You also need two cooking skill points before doing this, otherwise you are
likely to set the place on fire. Before that, all you can do is order pizza and
get snacks from the fridge to keep you going.
UNLOCK: Aromaster Whifferpuff Gold
Borrow $800 from Mom
Get Mom in a good mood, and ask her, and she should give you the money.
UNLOCK: The Museum (2 player game)
Get a Job
When you've cooked a meal and fixed the TV, you can find a job (attempt to do
so beforehand and Mom will forbid you to do so). Pick up the newspaper and take
one.
BONUS: Electric Guitar
This is unlocked if you beat this level within 24 hours of game time. All
levels have a bonus goal that of winning within a time limit, and it may take
some practice.
Level 2 - Reality Bites
******************
For most of the time, you'll be living on your own. Enjoy it while it lasts
because every day, some moron - either Mimi or Dudley will show up at your
house to see if you're worthy to live with her/him. Be warned, they will soon
make your life a living Hell. You have a Vanity Table, so if you don't like the
way your Sim looks, you can now change his/her appearance.
GOALS
Clean the House
Click on all of the trash items to chuck them away.
UNLOCK: The maid, hireable by phone
Fix all the Broken Objects
Look for objects with smoke coming out of them and fix them all.
UNLOCK: The repairman
Upgrade Your Abode
Buy a bunch of stuff to increase the house value.
UNLOCK: Bug Zapper
Get Promoted to Career Levels 2 and 3
Look to see how many skill points/friends you need and get your Sim in a good
mood for work.
UNLOCK: Ice Chest (Level 2), Teppan Yaki Table (Level 3)
Move Out
When you're completed all the goals, you will get to move in with Dudley or
Mimi.
UNLOCK: The Frat House (2 player game)
BONUS: Highbrau Coat of Arms
Get through the house in no more than 4 Sim days. In other words, you should
aim to get promoted every two days.
Level 3 - Party Animals
*******************
Welcome to Hell. You will either be living with Mimi or Dudley, the obnoxious
offspring of Malcolm Landgraab, your landlord.
I'm not entirely sure, but I think that you get Dudley if your Sim is male, and
Mimi if your Sim is female.
The first thing you will notice is that your housemate's personality stats are
all set to zero. In other words, you are living with a mean, lazy, grumpy,
slobby social outcast.
They have something like 7 cooking skill points, but will only grill burgers on
the barbecue, refusing to cook proper meals. Don't bother to build their skills
by any means other than swimming (if you can afford a pool), because they'll
refuse. This is useful, as their job is Convenience Store Clerk (Level 2 in the
Slacker career track), and they need two body points in order to get promoted
to Lifeguard, and that will help to bring in more money.
They won't answer the phone, stating that this is your Sim's job (even if your
Sim happens to be at work), and they won't tidy up after themselves, so please
- hire a maid, or you will probably waste about 2-3 hours cleaning up after
your ungrateful housemate, which will really cut into the time that you could
be spending building skills, and your mood will suffer because your room will
end up in the red.
To add insult to injury, every day that you fail to get promoted, your
housemate will chastise you and give some speech about how you should be trying
to get a promotion (which I found to be more annoying than the general
laziness).
If you really want a challenge, try making friends with them (which isn't going
to be easy). I believe you can unlock their clothing style.
Dudley and Mimi have a bunch of "friends", who will show up at the house - and
you can invite them too. I use the term "friend" loosely, because they do
comment (quite correctly) that your housemate is a loser.
To get out of the house, beat all of the goals below, and make friends with one
of Dudley's friends. Get your relationship up to 100 and get them in a good
mood before asking. I believe you have to be throwing a party when you ask.
GOALS
Upgrade Your Abode
Add some stuff, again. A hot tub is useful if you can afford it, or a swimming
pool.
UNLOCK: Tree Swing
Throw a Raging Party
You need to get plenty of fun stuff, such as the Strip Poker table, a sound
system of some sort, and maybe a hot tub. Throw a party (use the last option on
the phone), and hopefully you'll beat this goal.
UNLOCK: The Motel (2 player game)
N.B. The Motel is also unlockable using a cheat code (see Section 15).
Get Promoted to Career Level 4/5
Again, make friends and build skills as needed, it'll stop Dudley and Mimi from
nagging you.
UNLOCK: Strip Poker Table (Level 4), Hydrothera Bathtub (Level 5)
BONUS: Head in jar
Get through in no more than 8 Sim Days. This may require some patience.
LEVEL 4 - HOT TO TROT
**********************
I actually enjoyed this level a lot. You will live with whichever of Dudley's
friends you moved in with (I ended up with Bingo). This friend is nothing like
Dudley or Mimi. He/she will cook, clean and build skills.
You will get visits from Malcolm, and his friends, and also a group of girls
(if your Sim is male) or guys (if your Sim is female).
It's at this level that Malcolm starts to be a real pain. As well as stopping
you having parties at first, he will later pester you with phone calls with
advice regarding how to progress in the game - advice that you probably already
knew (one time my Sim was studying cooking and Malcolm called me up and told me
to improve my cooking skills).
To beat the house, score with another Sim at a party, and thus marry them. This
will be one of the Party Girls if your Sim is Male, or the Party Guys (don't
know if this is their actual name, I only played it through once - with a male
Sim, modelled on myself) if your Sim is Female.
To score with them, get their relationship up really high, make them love you
(by kissing them). Get them in a good mood, and then propose at a party (I
suggest saving before you propose in case it goes pear shaped).
GOALS
Upgrade Your Abode
Add a bunch of items. A new bathroom is useful, and maybe a better TV. Place a
few items to increase your Sim's skills if you need any.
N.B. Before you have completed this goal, Malcolm will not let you have a
party, for reasons known only to him. Try and have a party and he'll come
round, kick out all the guests and yell at you.
UNLOCK: Vibromatic Heart Bed
Get Promoted to Career Level 6/7
Build skills and make friends, whatever is necessary to get through (N.B. since
your housemate is now counted as a family member, he/she is no longer int he
family friend count). Remember, it's best that your Sim makes the friends
him/herself at this point.
UNLOCK: Sonic Shower (Level 6), Artists' Block (Level 7)
Throw a Raging Party
UNLOCK: Club Abhi and Taylor's Place (2 player games)
BONUS: Jukebox
Beat the level in no more than 8 Sim days
Level 5 - Who Loves You, Baby?
***************************
At first, this level can be a nightmare. You need to raise two babies, and give
them constant attention or Social Services will whisk them away.
Malcolm's left the house in a bit of a clutter, with everything in one room,
but move the stuff around and you should have a nice house. There's a heart
bed, which is useful.
Malcolm will call you every day to ask about a "memo" he left you. If this
really gets on your nerves, then remember he'll call at the same time, so if
you think it is Malcolm, ignore the phone.
Oh, and rather sadly, your housemate from Level 4 has mysteriously vanished,
and is no longer contactable.
Getting your spouse a job at this level is a good idea.
GOALS
Raise Two Babies
See the section on Babies and Children for advice on how to raise babies. If
your spouse has a job, the two Sims should take alternate days off to look
after the baby.
UNLOCK: Bech Simulator (first child), Neoscillating Sprinkler (second child)
Get Promoted to Career Levels 8/9
UNLOCK: The Maid and Handymans' Houses (2 player games) (Level 8), Better
Swimming Pools (Level 9)
Get Married
You probably won't have to do this goal. It only applies if your Sim and
his/her spouse fail to communicate and end up divorcing.
UNLOCK: NOTHING!!!!!
BONUS: Bearskin rug
Get through the house in no more than 8 Sim days.
Level 6 - The Last Simoleon
***********************
This is the last level in the game. You will live in Malcolm's old mansion,
which - unfortunately - has very little in it. Hope that you have plenty of
money to put in all the basic items. Try and get your kids sent off to the
School for the Gifted quickly. You'll never see them again.
Malcolm will once again phone you - every day - going on about how your mother
is worried about you - until you get the last promotion.
Once you beat the final goal - throwing one last party - you will get taken to
the ending sequence.
GOALS
Send Both Your Kids to Prep School With Straight As
Get your kids good grades, and they will automatically be accepted, but you do
have to pay - or get repossessed if you can't.
UNLOCK: Major Domo
Get Promoted to Career Level 10
Build skills, make friends. Remember, your spouse can make friends too.
UNLOCK: The Park (2 player game) - if you haven't yet fed Bobo (see below)
Save up $20,000 for a Yacht
I believe you have to get the $20,000 really fast, or the goal will be greyed
out forever. I never managed to beat this one.
Throw One Great Party Before You Retire
Get a lot of stuff, and throw a party. Eventually, Malcolm will tell you "You
Win".
You will then see the ending sequence. Before throwing the party, save the game
- then you can keep playing with this house if you want, and get some of the
Sim hairstyle/clothing unlockables.
BONUS: Rhino trophy
For getting past the house in no more than 8 Sim days.
OTHER UNLOCKABLES
**********************
Bobo the Tramp
*************
He will show up randomly. If you give him food (you can select it when you
click on him), you will unlock The Park (2 player game).
The Burglar
**********
He shows up randomly (but apparently having expensive items increases the odds
of him appearing). Put a burglar alarm(s) in every house you are in so that
when he does appear, he will get arrested. This unlocks the Life of Crime
career path,
Sim Style Unlockables
******************
Making friends with various Sims unlocks various styles to choose from.
Dudley/Mimi - Unlocks their clothes
Bingo - Green, spiky hair (men)
Malcolm Landgraab - Top hat (men)
Theresa Thimblewit - White powder makeup style (women)
Charles Cheeky - Cowboy hat (men)
Chantal Cheeky - Cleopatra-style asp headdress (women)
Freddy Foofaraw - Quiff (men)
Carlos Roomies - Mohican style (men - style is available for women from the
start)
Betty Roomies - Backward baseball cap (women - style is available for men from
the start)
N.B.: This section may be added to later; I'm pretty sure the list is
incomplete.
5 - TIPS ON BUILDING A HOUSE
*****************************
When building a house from scratch, here are some suggestions as to what to
include.
LAYOUT
********
You should have at least three rooms; a main living area, a bathroom and one or
more bedrooms. That way, your Sims can have privacy when using the toilet, and
go to bed away from the noise of the TV or stereo.
When building rooms, it is important to get them the right size. Too big, and
they'll cost you too much; too small, and you won't have room to swing a cat,
and your Sims will be forever getting in each others' way.
A good idea is to place items where you want them before building walls (with
the toilet and bathroom sink, you cannot do this as they must be placed
alongside walls). This will show you what size of room you are likely to need.
RECOMMENDED ITEMS
**********************
The following items are suggestions for things you should buy when starting out.
One bed for each of your Sims - Use only the cheapest type of bed for now,
nothing fancy.
A refrigerator
A surface of some sort, preferably a table
Seating, preferably enough for each Sim that lives in the house
A black and white TV (the cheapest you can get)
The cheapest bookshelf available
A sink
A toilet
A shower (this is cheaper than, and takes up less space than, the bath)
A telephone
One burglar alarm in every room that can be accessed directly from the outside
(you'll thank me for this when on your first night, a burglar races into your
house and steals your TV)
Windows and doors (well, duh)
Lighting
Wallpapering, brickwork (on the outside) and carpets, otherwise your house will
look pretty drab
A trashcan (this will save your Sims having to walk out to the dustbin every
single time they have a piece of litter they want rid of)
If you've got the cashflow, you might consider one of these items:
A food mixer
A fire alarm
The slightly less cheap TV
Paintings and decorations
Don't bother with any cooking items like the Microwave or Stove until all the
adult Sims in your house have at least two cooking skill points; this will
reduce the risk of fires (but not erase them completely).
6 - ITEMS
*********
For simplicity, I will limit this to the items avialable in the buy mode
section (not the build mode, which includes swimming pools and fireplaces).
SEATING/BEDS
**************
Wekburst All Purpose Chair ($80)
Comfort - 2
Only buy this if you're really short of cash; the "Posture Plus" office chair
isn't a lot more expensive, and it's more comfortable.
**
"Posture Plus" Office Chair ($100)
Comfort - 3
Preferable to the deck chair, as it is better value for money.
**
Deck Chair by Survivall ($150)
Comfort - 3
**
Contempto Loveseat ($150)
Comfort - 3, Energy - 4
Like all couches, this can also be used for your Sims to nap on (just make sure
the TV and stereo are switched off)
**
Satinistics Reproduction Armchair ($155)
Comfort - 3
It may look nice, but it's still not as economical as the Posture Plus chair.
**
Contempto Couch ($180)
Comfort - 2, Energy - 5
Better for napping on, but otherwise doesn't have a lot of advantages over the
cheaper Contempo Loveseat.
**
Country Class Armchair ($250)
Comfort - 4
**
Parquw Inesco del AireBench ($250)
Comfort - 2
This is a nice outdoor bench, but doesn't offer a lot of advantages.
**
"Back Stack" Recliner ($250)
Comfort - 6, Energy - 3
**
Spartan Special ($300)
Comfort - 6, Energy - 7
This is the cheapest of the beds, and the first kind that you should buy in
your house
**
Country Class Loveseat ($340)
Comfort - 5, Energy - 4
**
Country Class Sofa ($450)
Comfort - 5, Energy - 5
**
Tyke Nite Bed ($450)
Comfort - 7, Energy - 7
A Children's bed (if the name wasn't enough of a clue)
**
Cheap Eazzzzze Double Sleeper ($450)
Comfort - 7, Energy - 8
When you get enough money, you could splash out for a few double beds. You can
get two Sims to share a double bed, providing that they are friends with each
other (i.e. a blue smiley face appears on their relationship meter). No, they
don't have to love each other. If you have four Sims sharing a house, getting
them to be friends is a good idea, because all you will need is two double
beds, which saves space (and money).
**
"The Surbach" by Werkburst ($500)
Comfort - 6
**
Empress Dining Room Chair ($600)
Comfort - 4, Energy - 3
**
"Von Braun" Recliner ($850)
Comfort - 9, Energy - 3
This is worth getting just because of the high comfort levels it offers.
**
Luxuriare Loveseat ($875)
Comfort - 8, Energy - 4, Room - 2
**
Napoleon Sleigh Bed ($1000)
Comfort - 8, Energy - 9
**
"The Deiter" by Werkburst ($1,100)
Comfort - 8, Energy - 5, Room - 3
**
Modern Mission Bed ($3,000)
Comfort - 9, Energy - 10, Room - 3
This is the best of the beds, as it replenishes energy fastest. You should get
a few of these when your funds are high enough.
**
The Vibromatic Heart Bed ($4,500)
Comfort - 10, Energy - 8
This bed, which can be unlocked in Get A Life Mode, is good if your Sim couple
are trying for a baby, but isn't particularly good in terms of replenishing
energy.
****
TABLES AND SURFACES
***********************
Pinegulcher End Table ($40)
If you're just looking for a surface to put something on, this is one of the
better ones, since it is cheap.
**
Wicked Breexe End Table ($55)
**
Kinderstuff Nightstand ($75)
**
Mesquite Desk/Table ($80)
**
NuMica Folding Card Table ($95)
This is a good table to use as a dining surface if you're just starting a house.
**
"Anywhere" End Table ($120)
Has no real advantage over the cheaper end tables.
**
NuMica Kitchen Counter ($15)
A good, cheap, surface to put items such as food processors on.
**
Backwoods Table by Survivall ($200)
The Card Table is preferable to this due to the price and the fact that it
takes up less space.
**
London "Cupertino" Collection Desk/Table ($220)
**
Tiled Counter ($250)
Nicer looking than the Kitchen Counter, but otherwise no advantage.
**
Modern Mission End Table ($250)
Room - 1
**
Count Blanc Bathroom Counter ($400)
**
London "Mesa" Dining Design ($450)
Room - 2
**
"The Redmond" Desk/Table ($800)
Room - 2
The London "Mesa" Dining Design is cheaper, and has no disadvantage in terms of
room.
****
DECORATIVE
*************
Not a lot to say about decorative features, except that the more expensive ones
are generally better at raising room. Be aware, though, that the African
Violet, Spider Plant, Geranium and Roses require a surface for them to be
placed on.
Plants should be watered regularly (you can hire a gardener to do this);
likewise, the fish in the aquarium need to be fed regularly or they will starve
to death (your Sims must do this themselves). Remember to put plants in a
location where your Sims can actually reach them.
Pink Flamingo ($12)
Room - 2
**
African Violet ($30)
Room - 2
**
Spider Plant ($35)
Room - 2
**
"Roxana" Geranium ($45)
Room - 1
**
What a Gas! Party Balloons ($50)
Room - 3
Unlike other decorative features, these will not last indefinitely, and will
burst quite soon. Good while they last, though.
**
Watercolour by J.M.E. ($75)
Room - 1
**
Queen Vivanco Roses ($99)
Room - 1
**
Rubber Tree Plant ($120)
Room - 2
**
Echinopsis Maximus Cactus ($150)
Room - 2
**
Jade Plant ($160)
Room - 2
**
Poseidon's Adventure Aquarium ($200)
Fun - 1, Room - 2
**
Old Movie Prop ($210)
Room - 2
**
"Bi Polar" by Conner I.N. ($240)
Room - 2
**
"Delusion de Grandeur" ($360)
Room - 2
**
BeaverPelt Moosehead ($450)
Room - 2
**
Floor Rug by Leopard Life ($460)
Room - 2
**
"Fountain of Tranquility" ($700)
Fun - 1, Room - 2
Your Sims can play with the fountain as well as using it for decoration
**
SimBad's Stuffed Marlin ($777)
Room - 3
**
"Hazard the Guess" by Conner Tilst ($950)
Room - 3
**
"Blind Date" by I. Roney ($1,020)
Room - 3
**
"Scylla and Charybolis" ($1,450)
Room - 4
**
(Sorry, I've not unlocked this item in Get a Life Mode yet)
**
(Sorry, I've not unlocked this item in Get a Life Mode yet)
**
Snails with Icicles on Nose ($2,140)
Room - 5
**
Portrait grid by Payne A. Pitcher ($3,200)
Room - 8
**
Grandfather Clock ($3,500)
Room - 7
**
Blue China Vase ($4,260)
Room - 7
**
(Sorry, I've not unlocked this item in Get a Life Mode yet)
**
(Sorry, I've not unlocked this item in Get a Life Mode yet)
**
"Still Life, Drapery and Crumbs" ($7,000)
Room - 9
**
"Eruption of Decadence" Tapestry ($8,100)
Room - 9
**
Antique Persian Rug ($8,200)
Room - 7
****
ELECTRONIC
*************
Firebrand Smoke Detector ($50)
Place this in your Sims' kitchen, and if there is a fire, the fire brigade will
be called instantly.
**
Cordless Wall Phone ($75)
This is the only way to keep in touch with other Sims and maintain
relationships, so this is a vital element of your Sims' house. When you first
move Sims in, they will automatically visit the other Sims' houses, and your
Sim can call anyone who they've spoken to previously. You can also throw
parties, order pizza (costs $40), and hire a maid, gardener or repairman. Oh,
and you can call the police and fire brigade.
**
Urchineer Train Set by Rip C. ($80)
Fun - 2
A good toy to use if you have kids, or playful adult Sims.
**
Monochrome TV ($85)
Fun - 2
Unless you have enough money, this is the first TV you should get when you get
a house. Upgrade as soon as possible, though.
**
"Down Wit Dat" Boom Box ($100)
Fun - 2
This is the cheapest of the stereos, and a good idea to buy when starting out.
**
Sim Safety IV Burglar Alarm ($250)
This is vital if you want to catch the burglar and stop him from stripping your
house bare. Place one in every room that is directly accessible from the
outside.
**
Electric Insect Control System ($300)
Can be placed outside and turned on to zap bugs. Sims can have fun watching it.
**
Trarttco. 27" Colour Television B940 ($500)
Fun - 4
An improved TV. You should by this as soon as your Sims have earned enough
money through working.
**
Zimantz Component Hi-Fi Stereo ($650)
Fun - 3
It's quite nice, but for the price, it isn't really as economical as the Boom
Box.
**
OCD Systems Sim Railroad Town ($955)
Fun - 4, Room - 3
This is worth buying, if you have room in your house for it.
**
Moneywell Computer ($999)
Fun - 4
A nice, cheap computer. Can also be used for SimKids to study.
**
(Sorry, I've not unlocked this item in Get a Life Mode yet)
**
"See Me, Feel Me" Pinball Machine ($1,800)
Fun - 5
This is an enjoyable item, that can be used by two Sims at once. Don't place
this in a bedroom, though as Sims will not sleep in the same room as it, even
if it is not in use.
**
Microscotch Covetta Q62&1500JA ($1,800)
Fun - 5
A more expensive, and more fun, computer. Can also be used for SimKids to study.
**
SSRI Virtual Reality Set ($2,300)
Fun - 7
One of the most useful items in the game. The bonus is that it is small, and so
doesn't take up lots of space in your house.
**
Strings Theory Stereo ($2,550)
Fun - 5, Room - 3
The most expensive stereo; the only problem is that it doesn't increase fun as
much as you might like it to.
**
Soma Plasma TV ($3,500)
Fun - 6, Room - 2
A widescreen TV. Definitely one to get once you can afford it.
**
Meet Marco ($6,500)
Fun - 9
This costs a lot, so it is just as well that it is worth it. Can also be used
for Sim Kids to study.
****
APPLIANCES
************
Mr. Regular Joe Coffee ($85)
Energy - 1
This is useful if your Sims are getting tired and you want them awake for
socialising or skill building. You should drink about four in succession, but
send your Sim to the toilet afterwards.
**
Brand Name Toaster Oven ($100)
Hunger - 1
Avoid this; it really isn't worth it, especially as the Food Processor is more
useful for Sims with no cooking skill.
**
XLR8R Food Processor ($220)
Hunger - 2
This is an important ingredient in helping to improve your Sims' meals.
**
Positive Potential Microwave ($250)
Hunger - 2
This is a cheap way to cook your Sims' meals, but should only be used if your
Sim has a few cooking points (as ridiculous as it seems, Sims who can't cook
are capable of setting fire to these devices).
**
Will Bill THX451 Barbecue ($350)
Hunger - 4
This is useful for making burgers, and better value than the Microwave. Unlike
the other cooking devices, you do not need a refrigerator in order to use this
- but you do need cooking skill to reduce fire risk. Sim Kids cannot use this
device.
**
Junk Genie Trash Compactor ($375)
The good thing about this is that it is a time saving device, and your Sims
will need to make far fewer tedious trips out to the dustbin to get rid of
litter.
**
Dialectric Free Standing Range ($400)
Hunger - 5
This is something you should get as soon as all your Sims' cooking skills are
at 2 or above.
**
Goxgmia Simore Expresso Machine ($450)
Energy - 2, Fun - 1
This replenishes more energy than the normal coffee machine, but isn't really
as useful, as your Sims take a lot longer drinking it, and will need to answer
the call of nature faster.
**
Dish Duster Deluxe ($550)
This can save a lot of time involved in finding a free sink to wash the dishes
by hand.
**
Llamark Refrigerator ($600)
Hunger - 6
This is the cheapest refrigerator, and the one you should get to start with.
With every refrigerator, you can choose to have a snack, have a quick breakfast
(if your Sim is in a hurry), have breakfast or serve breakfast (place a plate
of food in the room that other Sims can help themselves from). Remember, you
need money to get food (up to $20) from the fridge, but it is more
cost-effective than pizza. Sim Kids can only select the "Get a Snack" option
(they can't cook food).
**
Fuzzy Logic Dishwasher ($950)
Other than it looking nicer, I'm not exactly sure what advantage this has over
the cheaper dishwasher.
**
The "Pyrotorro" Gas Range ($1,000)
Hunger - 7
The best cooking device, and well worth buying when you can afford it.
**
Porcina Refrigerator, Model Pig-S ($1,200)
Hunger - 7
A better refrigerator, but more expensive.
**
Freeze Secret Refrigerator ($2,500)
Hunger - 8
The best, and most expensive, refrigerator.
****
PLUMBING
**********
Hydromatic Kitchen Sink ($250)
Hygeine - 2
This becomes somewhat redundant when you get a dishwasher (unless the
dishwasher breaks and you can't afford the repairman). This sink is useful when
you start out and can't afford the dishwasher, though.
**
Hygea-o-Matic Toilet ($300)
Bladder - 8
You should put this in your house when you move in. Be sure to clean it (or
hire a maid), though. And try and get your Sims to flush, otherwise it will get
blocked up. Hire a repairman or get good mechanical skills to sort out the
blockage. Remember, this item should be placed in the bathroom. And did I
mention that all Sims are very prudish, and will not use the toilet when
another Sim is in the same room as them (they'll order the other Sim out).
Guests can occasionally be a nuisance, as they have a habit of following your
Sims into the toilet, and often will refuse to budge when shooed. You may have
to ask them to leave as a last resort.
**
"Andersonville" Pedestal Sink ($400)
Hygeine - 4
A bathroom sink. Should be placed in the bathroom, as it is better than the
kitchen sink.
**
Epokouros Kitchen Sink ($500)
Hygeine - 3
Don't bother with this one. You can get a dishwasher for just $50 more, and the
pedestal sink is still better for washing hands.
**
Spacemiser Showe ($650)
Hygeine - 6
A good hygeine - raising device if you're in a hurry, as it is quicker than the
bath.
**
Justa Bathtub ($800)
Hygeine - 6, Comfort - 2
This costs more than the shower and takes up more space, but does raise
comfort. Since it takes longer, don't use it if your Sim has to rush off to
work soon.
**
Flush Force 5XLT ($1,200)
Comfort - 4, Bladder - 8
Buy this when you have enough money. It does not require flushing, and saves
you the trouble of remembering to make your less-than-neat Sims flush after
using it.
**
Sani-Queen Bathtub ($1,500)
Comfort - 5, Hygeine - 8
More useful than the cheap bathtub.
**
Hydrothera Bathtub ($3,200)
Comfort - 8, Hygeine - 10
The only real drawbacks to this are the cost and the fact that it takes up
twices as much space as a normal bathtub.
**
Sonic Shower ($3,999)
Comfort - 8, Hygeine - 10
This can be unlocked in Get a Life mode, and is actually better than all the
bathtubs, since it is quick to use. Remember, though, that all spaces
immediately around it must be empty for this to be placeable/useable. Just two
words of warning. First of all, for some inexplicable reason, Sim Kids cannot
use it, so if there are kids in your house, only get one if you have more than
one bathroom. Also, if the instruction "clean" comes up when you click on it,
clean it immediately before use, otherwise it will screw up, and your Sim will
not have a pleasant time at all using it.
**
WhirlWizard Hot Tub ($6,500)
Comfort - 6, Hygeine - 2, Fun - 2
If your Sim has a lot of spare time, you could get them to use this. Put
another Sim in there and it can also be used for raising Social needs (and
relationships). Sim Kids cannot use Hot Tubs, presumably due to the fact that
if an outgoing Sim gets in first, everyone will end up naked.
**
Libidinex Spa System ($10,000)
Comfort - 5, Hygeine - 2, Fun - 3
This isn't that useful; only two Sims can use it at once, but it is good if you
have two Sims who are lovers and money to burn.
****
LIGHTING
**********
Lighting should be put in every room, to avoid room dropping at night. Most of
them will require the bulb changing (it's quickest to call a repairman, to save
going around looking for broken bulbs).
Bottle Lamp ($25)
Garden Lamp by Lunatech ($50) - The only lamp that does not require changing
the bulb
Halogen Heaven Lamp by Contempto ($50)
Oval Glass Sconce ($85)
Top Brass Sconce ($110)
Blue Plate Spacial Sconce ($135)
Elite Reflections Chrome Lamp ($180)
Torchsterone Table Lamp ($200) - Increases Room by 1
Torchsterone Floor Lamp ($350) - Increases Room by 1
****
MISCELLANEOUS
****************
Trash Can ($30)
You should buy a few of these before you can afford a trash compactor.
**
Snoozemore Alarm Clock ($30)
This will wake your Sims in time for work, but takes up surface space and isn't
really worth it.
**
Magical Mystery Toy Box ($50)
Fun - 2
This will keep your kids occupied for a while.
**
Happy Thunder Neoscillating Sprinkler ($65)
Fun - 2
Ah, the sprinkler, which the kids will get bored of after about five seconds.
The only good things about this are the fact that it is small and cheap. It
won't get much use, though.
**
Narcisso Wall Mirror ($100)
This is a useful item for raising your Sim's CHARISMA.
**
Slurp 'N' Burp Beverage Cooler ($100)
Comfort - 2
Can be used to get drinks, but will ocassionally need restocking (for a price),
and cleaning. Doubles up as an extra seat.
**
Medicine Cabinet ($125)
Hygeine - 1
As well as raising CHARISMA, your Sims can brush their teeth with this. Can
occasionally, but rarely, be a fatal deathtrap (see Sim Deaths section).
**
Narcisso Floor Mirror ($150)
Raises CHARISMA, but the wall mirror is preferable to this as it won't take up
floorspace.
**
Will Lloyd Wright Doll House ($180)
Fun - 2
Your kids will love this (yes, even the boys).
**
Cheap Pine Bookcase ($250)
With all bookcases, you can read a book to raise fun levels, study COOKING and
MECHANICAL. Kids can study to raise their grades.
**
"Diamanche" Folding Easel ($250)
Fun - 2
Paint pictures, and then sell them to make more money. Raise CREATIVE skill.
**
Pinegulcher Dresser ($250)
This can be used to automatically change your sims to normal wear (their
default costume), formal wear (pretty pointless really), pyjamas or a swimsuit.
It's best waiting until you can afford an armoire, though.
**
Kinderstuff Dresser ($300)
Brightens up your kids' room, but does little else. See above note.
**
Chuck Matewell Chess Set ($500)
Fun - 2
If you buy this, remember to put a chair on either side of it (on the sides
where the chess pieces are), so that two Sims can play at once. This can raise
social, and also increase LOGIC skill without the risk of being abducted by
aliens.
**
Artists' Block ($500)
Fun - 2
This needs to be unlocked in Get A Life Mode. The only drawback is that it's
lifetime is as long as it takes for your Sim to finish the sculpture, which
then becomes a decoration. I have, however, been able to place these in houses
where the Feng Shui Meter was full to bursting. Raises CREATIVE skill.
**
Amishim Bookcase ($500)
Does the same as the cheaper bookcase, only I believe it raises skill points
faster.
**
Traditional Oak Armoire ($550)
Room - 1
This is definitely an item to buy, since you can change your Sim's default
clothes with this. Unlike the PC version, where you had an often variable set
of suits, you can select the top half, bottom half and shoe style - and colour
- individually. To change the normal outfit, you must keep the Sim who you want
to change selected, or nothing will happen.
**
Electric Guitar
Increases CREATIVE skill. The more points you have, the better you play it. You
need to unlock it in Get a Life Mode, and doing so is not easy.
**
Strip Poker Table ($600)
Fun - 4
You need three spaces to use this in, so it should be easy to fit in. Get your
Sims to play poker against each other. The only drawback I've found is that one
Sim may get bored waiting for the other Sim to walk into the room and cancel
the instruction, meaning you have to program it again. You can let other Sims
watch, too. The results can be amusing, as most of the time, one of the Sims
(randomly) will end up in their swimsuit. And this is a good way to quickly
change your Sims from their work clothes to their normal clothes. You need to
unlock it in Get A Life Mode, though.
**
Super Doop Basketball Hoop ($650)
Fun - 4
Another useful item. Two Sims can use this at once, so it can raise Social as
well as fun.
**
"Experto" Beachpress Exercise Machine ($700)
Use this to raise BODY skill.
**
Kraft King Woodworking Table ($720)
Make garden gnomes to raise MECHANICAL skill. It's best to sell these straight
away, because you'll only be left irate when a mean Sim pays you a visit and
takes a dislike to them.
**
Bachmar Wood Beverage Bar ($800)
Hunger - 1, Fun - 3, Room - 2
Can be used to serve drinks, and can help to quell your Sim's rumbling stomach.
**
Libri di Regina Bookcase ($900)
The best bookcase. It does take up more space, though.
**
Domestic Beach Simulator ($1,000)
Fun - 4
Unlocked in Get a Life Mode, this is the best way to keep Sim Kids entertained,
and the adults can help them in building various shapes - and them flattening
them.
**
CharisMaster Vanity Table ($1,000)
Room - 1
You can change your Sims' facial appearance with this, as long as you keep that
Sim selected of course. You can change the hair style and colour, accessories
(earrings and glasses), the eye colour, add or remove headgear, facial hair
(for men), makeup (for women) and facepaint (for kids). If you manage to
befriend certain Sims (e.g. Malcolm and Chantal) in Get a Life Mode, more items
become available. This is unlocked in Get a Life Mode.
**
The Funinator Deluxe ($1,200)
Fun - 5
A climbing frame, which your kids will run amok on. The only problem is, it
won't keep them occupied long and they will soon jump off and stand there
gazing at it, forcing you to give them the instruction to play on it again. You
may find the Beach Simulator more satisfying.
**
PerspirAction Executive Treadmill ($1,200)
This can be set to three settings; Walk, Jog and Run, each of them
progressively increasing BODY skill at a faster rate. You should not use the
Jog command until your Body skill is about 3 or 4, and not think about running
until the skill is 8 or more. This way, you will avoid the common problem with
your Sim falling over and getting dragged along before getting hurled off. Yes,
it is hilariously funny, but your Sim will immediately quit exercising. Using
it with a full (or nearly full) energy bar is recommended. This is unlocked in
Get A Life mode.
**
Antique Armoire ($1,200)
Room - 2
This raises the room quicker than the normal armoire, and is still quite cheap,
although it performs the same functions.
**
SweetsWay Tree Swing ($1,200)
Fun - 4
Since this goes outside, you should have no shortage of space to place it. Two
Sims can use it, and thus this can build social need.
**
Horrorwitz "Star Traek" Backyard Telescope ($2,100)
Fun - 4
This should be unlocked in Get A Life Mode. Beware, though - if you use this
late it night, you might be abducted by aliens. Your Sim's housemates (if
he/she has any) will run to the spot to mourn their lost friend. Actually, your
Sim will be returned after a few Sim days, but their personality stats will be
altered. However, you do raise LOGIC using this.
**
Aromasterpuff Whifferpuff Gold ($2,500)
This takes up hardly any space at all and should be used in one of the main
living areas. Different scents can raise room, energy and even fun.
**
Teppan Yaki Table ($3,000)
Hunger - 7, Fun - 1
The only drawback here is that this item takes up a LOT of space. One Sim will
cook, and serve Teppan Yaki (you will see him/her chucking plates onto the
table) while other Sims watch. I haven't yet experienced a fire involving this
item (other than the one produced during the cooking process), but I'm not
entirely sure if this item is fire risk free.
**
Chimeway & Daughters Piano ($3,500)
Fun - 4, Room - 3
Improves CREATIVE skill. You will notice the difference easily with this,
because your playing will improve, and Sims who listen will quit booing and
hissing and start clapping you. It's a good idea NOT to use this if you have
low creative skill, as you could damage your relationship with your friends.
**
Aristoscratch Pool Table ($4,200)
Fun - 6
This can be played by one or two Sims, and can raise Social skill. Needs a
fairly large amount of space, though.
**
Meet Major Domo! ($15,000)
Ooh! Look! He's a baboon, and he's wearing a dinner jacket and helping around
the house. Trust me, the novelty of this will wear of very fast, and if you can
actually afford this, you can easily afford to hire a maid and repairman, whose
presence in the house will not risk cramming up your Feng Shui Meter.
7 - WORKING AND
GETTING PROMOTIONS
**********************
Working is vital if you want to make money for your Sims. Only adult Sims can
work (Children must go to school). The quickest way to get a job is to wait for
the papergirl to show up and use the newspaper to find a job, then select one
of the ones advertised.
You can not miss more than one day of work at a time; skipping work is useful
if your Sim is in a bad mood, needs to look after a baby, or if you feel that
it is the only way to raise skills.
Getting promotions is well worth it. It helps you progress in Get a Life Mode,
you get a higher salary, and you get a big bonus every time you are promoted.
The career tracks are:
Entertainment (become a star)
Life of Crime (unlocked by catching the burglar once in Get a Life mode, and is
self-explanatory)
Military
Musician (self-explanatory, though ends with becoming a "Celebrity Activist")
Slacker (a rather mixed bag, ranges from store clerks to lifeguards, to
"professional party guest")
Xtreme (mainly involves outdoor pursuits, but ends with International Spy)
To get promotions, you should check the "Career" menu. This shows what skill
points are needed (shown in yellow) and whether or not you need to make friends
(this is shown by the system "number of friends you have"/"number of friends
you need", i.e. if you see "1/2", it means you have one family friend, and need
two. Note that your Sim doesn't have to be friends with the Sim him/herself,
they just need to be friends with one household member. Being friends with
another person in your house does NOT count.
To get a promotion, your Sim's mood bar should be in green, and the more green
bars that are filled, the better chance there is of getting that promotion, so
a good idea is to time your Sim's waking up time for at least 2-3 hours before
going to work so you have time to work on all their needs. To get your first
promotion, all you need is to be in a good mood (you need to skills or
friends). Be warned: If you have four red bars (you're in a very bad mood), you
will almost certainly get demoted (not good).
Oh, and sometimes, rarely, when you are on the highest career level, you may be
forced into a different career track at a lower level. This has happened to me
only once so far. One of my Sims had become an international spy; one day, he
returned from work and I got a message saying: "Duty calls", informing me that
my Sim was now at Level 6 of the Military career track.
N.B. The mililtary career track requires fewest friends.
8 - INCREASING SKILL POINTS
****************************
To increase skill points, you must USUALLY be in a good mood (in the green), or
your Sim will refuse to build skills. These are the following skills.
COOKING
*********
Cooking is rarely needed to get promotions, but it is a good idea to get lots
of these. It makes your meals more appetising, and reduces the risk of fires
(there still is a risk, though; I moved into Bingo's house in Get A Life mode
with about 4 or 5 cooking skill points and immediately set fire to the kitchen;
I also saw Dudley (who has very high cooking skills) set fire to the barbecue,
leading to his death and subsequent zombification (Death? Zombification? Huh?
See Section 13)
You can use one of the bookcases to increase cooking skills.
MECHANICAL
*************
As well as helping you on jobs, it makes your sim more useful around the house;
you fix things faster, and are less likely to kill yourself repairing the TV or
replacing a bulb.
The following items increase Mechanical skill:
Bookcases
Workbench
CREATIVE
**********
As well as helping you, this makes you a better entertainer; you play better,
and your paintings are better (Sims with no creative skill points will paint
like a 3 year old kid).
The following items increase Creative skill:
Easel
Artists' Block
Piano
Electric Guitar
BODY
******
This reduces risk of accidents on the treadmill as well as getting you
promotions.
The following items increase Body skill:
Bodypress Machine
Treadmill
Swimming Pool (you do not need to be in a good mood to use the swimming pool;
swimming pools are found in the build menu, but they do cost a lot)
CHARISMA
***********
Increase Charisma using a mirror, or medicine cabinet to practise a speech.
LOGIC
******
Increase Logic using the following items:
Chess Set
Telescope
9 - MAKING FRIENDS
********************
You need to make friends to get many of the promotions. Usually, your Sim will
become friends with another Sim when the relationship level reaches 50 (a blue
smiley face will appear). Be warned that they may not rate you as highly as
they rate you, so if they're up to 80 for you, you may be only at 53 for them,
so you may lose a friend quicker than you expect.
Note: You can tell if a relationship is increasing because a green "plus" sign
appears. A red "minus" sign means you or the other Sim made a social faux pas,
and the relationship went down.
Huh? Lose friends?
Well, if you don't spend time with your friends, the relationship deteriorates,
and you lose them, so it's a good idea to invite them around a lot. Use the
phone to do this. Sometimes they'll accept, sometimes they won't - it's random,
but be sure to learn your target's work hours to avoid disappointment, and
DON'T phone at night - they'll get angry with you for waking them and it'll
damage your relationship.
If you don't have time to invite them, you could always just talk, but this can
be fickle. Sometimes the relationship won't go anywhere; sometimes, it will
improve, sometimes (randomly), the Sim won't want to talk to you (you will get
a message saying you interrupted their favourite show, or they're "super busy
right now"), or you'll hear the two Sims yelling at each other, and your
relationship will suffer as a result.
But, how do you build relationships? Well, when you start a house, the Sims'
relationship is pre-set to 30. The best way to increase relationships
(especially with people you only just met) is by talking to them. Doing group
activities, like pool, watching TV or using the hot tub can also slowly
increase relationships.
Complimenting another Sim can also increase your relationship very fast, but
should not be used on a Sim whose relationship with you is below about 35,
otherwise it can backfire. The Sim will take exception to your compliment and
your relationship will suffer (I can just imagine it: "I think you're really
great!", "What? HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT?"). Similarly, joking can
help a relationship, but is best used at when you have a reasonably high
relationship, and works better on playful Sims. All in all, if a relationship
is low, talking is safest. Sometimes, and seemingly randomly, relationships
will go down when talking, but rarely. You can also gossip, i.e. spread
defamatory rumours about other Sims, but often this will cause problems for
your relationship, and is best used on Sims that you are on good terms with; I
have a feeling being more outgoing also helps.
Actions such as flirting, hugging, giving back rubs and kissing should be saved
for relationships that are at least 70 - and beware, it can lead to jealousy.
If you do the wrong thing with a Sim's significant other, then the other Sim
will probably slap you.
Watch what your Sims are doing carefully and watch what pops into your queue.
If one of those actions is "be slapped", cancel it. The Sims aren't always
terribly bright, and sometimes they'll kiss, hug, flirt with, or give back rubs
to Sims when their significant other is watching. If you see a Sim wants to do
this to you, or your Sim wants to do this themself (if free will is on), it
might be a good idea to cancel this action.
Oh, and giving gifts can also lead to jealousy. I found this out in the "On
Vacation" expansion of the PC version, where I got one of my Sims to buy
presents for the rest of the family. His significant other was not best pleased
when he gave presents to the other family members (weird, but true).
A very good way to see if you've messed up romantically (making a Sim jealous,
for example, is to listen to the music). You should hear a tune that sounds
somewhat like Woody Woodpecker laughing. Occasionally, it seems to sound
randomly and I am at a loss to see exactly how the "jealousy" was incurred (in
Get a Life once, I had my Sim talking to a family friend; Ginger (his wife)
arrived home, and the jealousy music played).
I have also noticed that Sims often object to kisses and other intimate
gestures if they are not in a good mood; if "cheer up" appears in a Sim's menu,
it probably means they need cheering up, and it's a good idea to do this. I
also seem to recall seeing a Sim recoil in horror after being hugged by a Sim
whose hygeine was in the red, so - try and keep your Sims clean.
You can also fall in love with other Sims (yes, including ones of the same
sex), though not with children (because that would be perverted). Make sure
your relationship is really high (70+) and kiss them. Sims need to be in love
in order to get married.
Ah, yes. Getting married. Well, it's a good idea to save before actually
proposing marriage, but a good idea is to get your lover in a good mood first;
feed them, and do something fun with them, and they will probably accept. You
can ONLY marry Sims who are from another household, though you can get Sims in
the same household to love each other.
And if your Sims are deeply in love, and you have the heart bed, you can get
them to - ahem - show their affections to eachother. If you get the heart bed
to vibrate when one Sim is in bed, get the other Sim to click on the bed and
select "Play in Bed" (or whatever it's called). Best hope the kids don't see...
Just one last point - if your relationship becomes really low (like -50, or
below), your Sims become enemies. I've only had it happen in Bustin' Out, so
I'm only assuming it's the same here. If you become enemies, a red, angry, face
will appear.
10 - BABIES AND CHILDREN
**************************
If you have two Sims (one male, one female), who love each other, living in a
house together, then you can get them to have a baby.
Having a heart bed is a good idea, though not compulsory, as I have found out.
Once I got a baby through getting my Sims to kiss each other.
You can also adopt. One of the random phone calls you can get IF your Sims are
in love is the adoption service asking if you'd like to adopt a baby.
When the baby appears, it will be in a cot, which you should place in a
non-noisy area. You will be told if it is a boy or girl, and get to choose the
name.
Prepare for a rough time, as for the next few days, you must wait on the baby
hand and foot. If both your Sims have jobs, make them take alternate days off,
keeping one of them in to look after the baby. Try to stay focused on the baby
and wait until it starts crying, and then go to feed and sing to it. Playing
with it is NOT advisable. Get a coffee or expresso machine so your Sims can
stay up overnight.
If you play with your baby, or ignore it, some busybody will threaten to call
social services. Ignore it again and the social services people will show up
and take the baby away - Social Services in this game being incredibly strict.
Eventually, the baby will turn into a child, after 2/3 days. Infuriatingly, you
don't get to choose what the child actually looks like, or what its personality
stats are.
When you have a child, make sure they have somewhere to sleep, and make sure
they go to school every day or their grade will slip down. You can increase
their grade by getting them to study for school (using a bookcase or computer).
If their grade drops down too low, they will be sent to Military School, and
you will NEVER see them again. Try not to let this happen.
You may ask what is the POINT of Sim Kids? All they do is create need to build
extra beds, they can't cook, and they don't bring any money into the family.
The last point is false - if they are getting good grades, they will
occasionally get $10 from their (unseen) Grandpa, which goes straight into the
kitty.
11 - THE BURGLAR
******************
Occasionally, when all your Sims are asleep or at work, a burglar will show up.
If you have no burglar alarm, he will steal relentlessly until he gets bored,
and your Sims are powerless to stop him (no, there is no option to perform a
citizen's arrest). On the PC version I've had my Sims walking around the house,
apparently oblivious to the fact that there was a burglar in the same room as
them.
His swag bag may look small, but it's like Doctor Who's TARDIS inside. Any of
your personal possessions will fit inside (yes, even the tree swing).
If you have a phone, you can call the police, but chances are the burglar will
be back home watching the widescreen TV he just nicked by the time the cop
shows up. Rather than offering to take a statement, she'll tick you off about
calling when there wasn't an "actual emergency" and leave.
If you have an alarm, it will go off the moment the burglar enters the room,
and a cop will show up and arrest him. He will usually grab something, which
will be kept as "evidence" and never seen again. The police will reimburse you
and give you a $1000 reward for "the capture of this wanted criminal".
N.B. I have come across a glich relating to the cops, but this only happened on
the PC version. The cop showed up at my Sims' house, confronted the burglar,
and then let him walk away with the picture that he had stolen. Que?
12 - THE FENG SHUI METER
**************************
This is one of the big frustrations of the game. When you have too many items,
the meter at the right of the screen will fill up and you will not be able to
purchase further items, however hard you try.
There is a separate meter for walls and fences, although you are unlikely to
get this one filled up.
Be warned. Often when you remove a large item, it will make no difference to
the status of the feng shui meter, and it will remain full, preventing you from
buying an identical item (crazy, isn't it?)
This can be very problematic if the meter is full up and the burglar pinches
something important, such as your TV or refrigerator. The only remedy I can
think of is to save regularly, and quit without saving if you get really messed
up by the Feng Shui Meter.
13 - SIM DEATHS
****************
Yes, some people really are sadistic enough to want to kill their Sims. Here
are some known ways to kill them.
FIRE
****
If a fire breaks out, the Sims (fools that they are) will often dance around
the fire shouting and screaming. You can try getting them to go to a safe
distance, but it won't last for long - they'll just run back and start
screaming again. If your Sim gets too close to the fire, guess what? They will
catch fire themselves, and likely burn to death.
There is a very easy way to deliberately kill a Sim like this. Build a room
with a fireplace and put lots of rugs on the floor. Make a Sim go in there and
then take out the door. Light the fire and eventually the rugs will burn, as
will your Sim.
STARVATION
************
If you don't let your Sim eat or drink, then they will starve to death. An easy
way to do this is to trap them in a room with no exit. Be warned; the process
takes a while before they actually starve to death.
ELECTROCUTION
****************
Get a Sim with no mechanical skill points to change a bulb and they'll be
fatally electrocuted. This can also happen if they just got out of the shower
or washed their hands.
CHOKING
*********
I have heard that sometimes (rarely) Sims can choke to death while brushing
their teeth.
When a Sim dies, the Grim Reaper shows up. You can plea for your Sim's life by
playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, and if you win, that Sim will be restored. If
you lose, the Reaper may take pity and resurrect the deceased Sim as a zombie -
who will still have the same needs as a normal Sim.
14 - 2 PLAYER GAMES
*********************
Get these in the "Bonus" section of the Get a Life menu.
THE MUSEUM
*************
The aim here is to con the most money out of the various art connisseurs,
including Malcolm, Theresa and Thomas (the man with the appalling dress sense -
a pair of shorts with a blazer and a top hat - bleurgh!)
Talk to them and get your relationship up really high before asking for money.
At the end of the time, the winner will make an escape and the loser will get
arrested.
Unlocked by borrowing $800 from Mom.
THE FRAT HOUSE
*****************
Spread defamatory rumours about your opponent while trying to make as many
friends as you can. Be the first to make three friends. You need to have your
relationship level really high before spreading rumours, though.
Unlocked by moving in with Mimi or Dudley.
THE PARK
**********
Get your relationship level really high with the other people to beg for food
successfully. Or, you can steal their food (risky, they could overpower you and
steal your food), or you could grill your own food. At the end, the loser will
drop dead and - freakishly - the winner will dance on the losers grave, arm in
arm with the Grim Reaper.
Unlocked by feeding Bobo or getting promoted to Level 10 in Get a Life.
TAYLOR'S PLACE/CLUB ABHI
****************************
In both of these, you must fall in love with three of the computer-controlled
Sims. Get your relationship really high and then move in for the kiss. You can
also steal your opponent's lovers. Things get hectic after a while because your
various lovers will start getting into catfights over you. The first sim with
three lovers will strip naked and dance with his/her lovers while the loser
goes off to cry.
Unlocked by throwing a party in Level 4 of Get a Life Mode.
THE MAID AND HANDYMANS' HOUSES
************************************
They have two kids, and their houses are split into two halves, and both are
messy. Your Sims will each have a half designated to them, and they must keep
their side clean in order to win more hearts. Stay in your side, and keep the
kid happy if you can, and beware because neighbours will walk into the house
from time to time and scatter litter around. The player with most hearts will
get in the hot tub with the maid/handyman.
Unlocked by getting promoted to Level 8 in Get a Life Mode.
THE MOTEL
***********
One player will co-host a party with Mimi; the other with Dudley. You can
control both your Sim and Mimi/Dudley. Keep the three guests entertained by
amusing them, and send them to crash the other party. By magic, they will
teleport to the other party to raise chaos - but make sure you cheer them up
when they reappear because their mood will be really low. Also, fix anything
that breaks.
Unlocked by Throwing a raging party while living with Mimi or Dudley, or by
entering PARTY M in the Cheat Menu.
15 - CHEAT CODES
*****************
Bring up the Cheat Menu by pressing L and R simultaneously on the title screen.
Here are all the known cheat codes.
MIDAS: Unlocks everything, including Sim clothing and features.
FREEALL: Makes everything free, but don't save the game when this cheat is on -
your game could end up permanently glitched.
SIMS: Unlocks the Play the Sims Mode without finishing Level 0 of Get a Life
Mode (which isn't actually hard to do).
FISH EYE: Not really a cheat, but really cool. You get to see through the eyes
of your selected Sim if you press X enough times. For an interesting effect,
press up while in this mode. The camera will stay in position and your Sim will
walk on - without his/her head. Spooky!
PARTY M: Unlocks the Party Motel Game, if you didn't manage to unlock it in Get
a Life Mode.
16 - THE BIGGEST MYSTERY OF ALL:
NO. 4 SIM AVENUE
**********************************
Having found nothing regarding this mystery in other guides to this game, I
thought I'd take it upon myself to address this.
I'm sure it won't have escaped your attention that there are six plots in Free
Play Mode: Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 Sim Avenue.
Hold on a minute. We seem to be missing four here. What happened?
Well, you may have noticed occasionally when you access Free Play, that the
screen briefly (and I mean for a split second) lingers on 4 Sim Avenue, in the
middle of the map, and then zooms across to No. 7 without giving you the chance
to select it.
As far as I'm aware, it is impossible to access No. 4 Sim Avenue. I don't know
if it's there as some sort of unlockable item, or whether its just something
that cannot be accessed on the Gamecube - or even if it is something that was
partially removed and that we weren't even meant to see it.
If anyone knows anything about it (Gameshark codes, maybe), then please e-mail
me.
17 - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
***********************************
I have endeavoured to answer as many common questions about this game as I can,
so please don't write to me to ask the questions I've answered below.
********************************
How exactly do I access No. 4 Sim Avenue?
As far as I'm aware - you can't. See the above section for more details.
********************************
I tried to buy an item for my house, but the game wouldn't let me. What gives?
See that bar on the right hand side of the screen? If it's full up, you cannot
place any more items, however much you try, in your house. It's the Feng Shui
Meter.
********************************
Is there ANY way I can get those lazy a***h***s Dudley and Mimi to do any work?
You can get them to build body skill by swimming in a pool - if you can afford
it, and they'll cook using the barbeque, but that's about it. Try hiring a maid
when sharing a house with them.
********************************
I made some garden gnomes, put them around the house. Then, a guest showed up,
went over to one of my gnomes and destroyed it. What the HELL is his/her
problem?
His/her personality stats have a low "nice" rating. Apparently, mean Sims like
to do this sort of thing.
********************************
Okay, when the mean Sim destroyed my gnome, every single other one was reduced
to rubble too. What happened?
I can't figure that one out myself. Sorry.
********************************
How can I kill my Sims?
See the section I wrote on Sim deaths...
********************************
Social Services took away my baby. What the Hell gives them the right to do
that?
You either played with it, or ignored it for too long. Yes, the Social Services
are incredibly strict in this game.
********************************
What he **** is up with my kid's face? It came out of the cot, and it's a funny
colour. Has my Sim's wife been inpregnated by aliens?
The kid has face paint on. If you have a vanity table, you can get rid of it.
********************************
Okay, and my kid has a blue/red face when its icon comes up in my Sim's queue,
WHY?
This happens if the kid is wearing headgear. I've found that a kid with a
baseball cap ends up with a blue face in the relationships menu and actions
queues, and a sim with a red woolly hat gets a red face. I don't know why.
*********************************
How to I change their appearance?
You can change their clothing using an armoire, and their facial appearance
(glasses, jewellry, hairstyle, make-up/facial hair) using the Vanity Table.
*********************************
Every time I have a party, I send my Sim to the toilet, and no sooner has
he/she sat down, when a guest comes barging in. Is the guest a pervert or
something?
The guest just wants to go to the toilet. If you see a guest about to follow
one of your Sims in, you could try calling them over to stop them, but it
doesn't always work. Sims seem to have a habit of using the toilet when they
don't need to, so guests will often use the toilet a number of times. Try
building a second bathroom if you can.
*********************************
It's late and I want to go to bed. What do I do with the guests?
You can either ask them to leave, or just go to bed. Eventually they'll get
bored and leave. Getting them to leave is preferable, because a cop may show up
and break up the party (spoilsport). If your guests don't leave, you'll be
fined. This once happened when both my Sims were in bed asleep!
*********************************
Someone called my Sim and told him/her the end is coming. What does that mean?
It's a junk call. Any call that doesn't inform you you won money, missed work,
or are about to lose a friend, should be ignored.
*********************************
It was 3 in the morning. My Sim's social meter was low, so I got him to call
his best friend, and the friend verbally abused him. What happened?
Sims don't like being called in the middle of the night. Don't do it.
*********************************
But some idiot keeps calling me in the night!
Inconsiderate lot, aren't they?
*********************************
How do I stop the burglar stealing my stuff?
Use a burglar alarm, then the police can catch him.
*********************************
Can't I just get my Sims to rugby tackly him to the ground and pummel him?
No. Apparently, your Sims are incapable of directly interacting with him.
*********************************
Can I make a second storey to my houses?
Not in this version, no.
*********************************
So, will the Zombie Sims want to eat my Sims' brains?
No.
*********************************
In Section 10, you mention the money going "straight into the kitty". I don't
see any mention of getting a cat in this game; what are you on about?
"Kitty" is a slang word for your supply of cash.
*********************************
Okay, the maid/gardener/plumber left and something in my house vanished. What
happened?
You most likely couldn't afford to pay them - so they helped themselves to one
of your possessions.
*********************************
Okay, what on earth? Some guy walked into my house, pulled out a zapper and
used it to beam up one of my possessions, then walked out. Who is he, and why
is he nicking my stuff?
That's the repo man. You should have paid your bills. He also shows up in Get a
Life Mode if you can't afford to send your kids to Grade School.
*********************************
Bills? What bills?
Did you check your mailbox? That's the thing outside with a flag on. When the
flag is up, it means you have bills to pay. As time progresses, they will go
from white to yellow, to orange and finally to red, and you will be warned
before the Repo Man makes his visit. It's best to pay them ASAP. But be careful
to watch where your Sims put them; I once got a warning from the tax office
about not paying a bill, which I found was lying, camoflagued, on the garden
path.
**********************************
I talked to this guy called Bobo in Get A Life mode, but I can't call him round
to my house. Why?
Bobo's a tramp. A homeless person. He doesn't own a phone.
**********************************
Is there ANYTHING I can do about Thomas Thimblewit's rather disturbing dress
sense?
Unfortunately, no. It's because of this that I never invite him round to my
Sims' house.
**********************************
What is this "Bustin' Out" you speak of?
A sequel of sorts to this game. In all honesty, though, I think the original
Sims is the superior version of the two; better graphics, faster loading time
and way less space used on your memory card.
**********************************
I will add further questions as required.
This is the end of the FAQ. Please see top for contact details and e-mail
policy.
**************************************************